1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for manufacturing nonwoven fabrics and more specifically to a process for manufacturing nonwoven fabrics that comprise a blend of acrylic fibers, modacrylic fibers and mixtures thereof and polyester fibers and to a fabric produced therefrom.
2. Description of Prior Art
There are many methods for bonding fibers within a web of a nonwoven fabric. Two widely accepted methods are needle punching and solvent bonding. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,199,167 there is disclosed a method for manufacturing nonwoven fabrics composed of natural and synthetic fibers, including acrylic and modacrylic fibers. The disclosed method uses in combination needle punching and binder materials. It is well known that needle punching can result in broken fibers and the use of binders can adversely affect dyeability.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,053,609 discloses a method for bonding webs of natural and synthetic fibers into fabrics by using fiber solvents. There is disclosed a wide variety of fibers, both natural and synthetic, which can be treated to form a fibrous textile material. It has been found, however, that while acrylic fibers can be bonded by solvents into a fabric there is some degradation in certain physical properties. Although a satisfactory level of tensile strength can be obtained by solvent bonding, low strip elongations and tear strength levels are present in such solvent bonded nonwoven fabrics.